Anxiety

Hello, new to the forums, but people here seem very friendly and supportive so I thought I'd post my story!

Let's see...I'm 21 years old, diagnosed with GAD, and noticed tinnitus around February of this year. It was strange because the tinnitus itself isn't necessarily what made me notice it, but rather other stresses in my life. My boss told me about her husband having it a few months before I noticed it and I'd never heard of it, but I remember thinking it sounded like the worst thing I could imagine. When I hear about diseases, I somehow tend to think I have them, especially during times of stress. But this seemed too real. It wasn't like previous hypochondriacal experiences, where I would think I had a disease, then could go to the doctor for reassurance. This was something that couldn't be seen, or rather heard, by anyone but me. Basically, it's a semi-quietish chirping/jingling in my left ear. I went to an ENT twice and he basically had no definite explanation for me, which I understand, but is still at the same time incredibly frustrating. He said my hearing was fine, even better in my left ear, and didn't really encourage an MRI or really any course of action besides masking it..making me think I am crazy or overreacting to it.. I had a pretty bad virus in that ear about 3 years ago that left my ear out of tune and also pretty out of balance for weeks, and maybe even months to come. Sometimes it seems like my balance is still messed up to this day. So that has crossed my mind as being a cause, but so have 1 million other things thanks to my wandering thoughts..

I had a phase or two of being incredibly freaked out by it, crying every day, prescribed a small dose of Xanax to take as needed - which I really don't like resorting to -, but have gradually dealt with it better, mainly as a result of probably just being sick of thinking and being anxious about it. Once you realize it can't harm you, I think it becomes way less powerful.

However I noticed a new noise recently, which is something that I really was dreading happening. It isn't always there, which is nice, but has still kept popping up, seemingly more frequently? This one comes about all the sudden, coming in as a higher pitched steady tone, then dropping to a lower one, then back up and down between them, no pattern, maybe a second or two for each, then will stop. Seemed to be mainly in mornings, and I can feel that I have more drainage on that side of my throat/sinus..but like I said, I was never diagnosed with any specific cause so my mind continues to wonder if I'm doing something wrong or if my body is behaving in a way to worsen it? Orrrr second guessing myself in thinking I've had these noises all along but all of the sudden noticed them and now am over-analyzing every noise in my head? Again, I think just the difficulty of not knowing the cause and not having anyone else be able to know what it sounds like makes me constantly on edge, avoiding anything and everything that I ever have thought could've possibly contributed to it, but it may be getting worse anyway...which is a pretty annoying way to live!

Sorry for the long post (probably will only get through it if you have nothing better to do ) but if you do, just wondering if you've experienced anything similar or have any words of encouragement? Thanks and hope you guys are doing okay!

 

I suffer from OCD/Anxiety disorder as well so I know how that can cause havoc on your life. I also tend to by a hypocondiac in that whenever I have symptoms I tend to think they are a symptom of a horrific condition (the worst imaginable) and follow through with a dr's appointment or testing.. I have only been dealing with my T issues for just about 4 weeks now I guess and I keep thinking to myself, if I could control the anxiety associated I bet the symptoms would probably disappear or become much more managable. I have good days/bad days which I am so grateful for the good days. The bad days give me horrible anxiety which I know just flairs up the T, like a vicious cycle.. I'm also pregnant so I can't current take any medications.. I've been working on mindful meditation with a therapist over the last 3 weeks and I find it helps control my anxiety when I do the techniques. Its not easy, but it makes the panic more tolerable.. If possible, find someone in your area who specalizes in anxiety disorders for counseling treatment or perhaps look into meditation as I have found it helpful. As far as the sounds youre hearing I have no advise there because I'm so new here. I can provide you the instrutions my therapist gave me for meditation if you would find that helpful.

 

Hi Caldera,
Tinnitus comes with a long list of causes so try not to dwell on it as sometimes it can cause extra stress .
Tinnitus comes with lots of unwanted emotions and the first few weeks or months can be tough and anxiety just as bad to deal with as the sound itself as well as lack off sleep.
Getting help and support off family and friends and your doctor and talking therapy and sometimes medication for a while can help and this lovely forum also and the BTA.
Their is help and it does get easier to cope as we go through the beginning of our tinnitus journey to habituation.
Take care.lots of love glynis